Chapter 302 - A Ring

Winston was taken aback to see the man standing in front  of him after he vanished a long time ago. Since then, no matter how much effort they put into searching for him, they were unable to find him much less contact him. 

"Professor, why are you here?" He asked despite he himself knowing the answer to his own question. 

"I just came to ask how my precious little princess doing. I heard from the news that she found her family. I'm curious how your master is handling the situation." Professor Petrovich responded even though what he said is only half the truth for it was the exact reason why he showed up

"Master is in his office, you can go and see him." Winston said as he excused himself since he still has a few other tasks which needs to be done.

Professor Petrovich walks along the halls of the company without any problems. Most important higher ups and the security team know about the man being one of their master's close subordinates and is not meant to be trifled with. The most important rule kept between them all is no one must approach him if they wish to keep their life. 

He walked inside the office unannounced as he saw the man burying himself within piles of doc.u.ments. He said, "How's my little princess?"

"Still stubborn as always." He responded as he continued to read the doc.u.ments, leaving the man to take care of himself. 

Professor Petrovich seated himself on the couch as one of the assistants brought in  drinks for him. "Thanks." 

The assistant only smiled and took her leave at once. 

"Why are you here?" Lord Knightley inquired as he place down the doc.u.ment he was reading. 

"You've spent weeks, months and years searching for me, and now that I brought myself to you, you don't seem pleased at all. My, my, you really are one ungrateful man." Professor Petrovich stopped uttering nonsense when he  the man got up from his seat and gave him a deathly stare. 

"Fine, the old man came to see me. He told me to bring this to you." 

Lord Knightley went closer as Professor Petrovich pulled out a box out of his coat. He took the box and opened it. Inside was a ring, a very beautiful, well crafted ring embellished with majestic gemstones. He slammed shut the box and threw it back at the grinning professor. 

"Does he has a death wish?" 

"Make no mistake, I think you're the one asking for an early death. You yourself agreed to this and now, you have no choice. Even if you don't hand her over, he'll drag her back." Professor Petrovich made a grasping sign with his hand. 

"Tell the old man he can have any other girl in the world apart from my own daughter. I'll even give him the wealth that the Knightley family possesses, just, not my daughter." Lord Knightley explained as he tries to keep his composure calm.

Professor Petrovich felt his neck suddenly tensing, a sudden headache attacked him. He had already expected the man would say all of this and he had even explained to the old man that his proposal will surely be rejected. Now, the true negotiation begins. 

"Do you know what the old man told me when he came to bring me that ring?" 

Lord Knightley seated himself down on the couch eagerly waiting for the man to answer his own question.

"He said, he'll just have to lure her then. Sooner or later her memories will return and surely, she will wish to know the truth. Apart from me, who else knows how to restore her memory once more?" 

Lord Knightley clenched his fist in fury after registering what he had just heard. The old man was indeed declaring war against him. But even so, he was far outnumbered and the result will only bring him great loss even if he asks for help from the Zhao family. The old man is so mysterious and what's more, he doesn't even know the old man's name. 

"That old man only has years to live, why would he waste my daughter's life in being his wife> He's already an old sack... My daughter won't be happy with him, he'll only make her suffer!" 

"Then why did you agree in the first place? Back then, I told you to think about it, yet you just gave in to his request, agreeing to let your daughter serve the head of the family and be with him forever. I tried my best to help you, I really did... I even had to erase all her memories about me. Do you know how much I wish to see her? Yet, here I am, just another ghost in her life."

Since Professor Petrovich was one of the biggest reasons as to why the girl requested to have her memories removed, Lord Knightley forced the man to remove any trace of memories she has with him. This is because he won't tell them the reason as to why the girl requested to have her memories removed. But who would have thought, after 5 years since the first time they removed her memories, her memories would start reappearing and that they'll be doing it again and again up until now. 

"You know I had no choice back then, I just wanted to see my daughter smile." Lord Knightley expression darkened at  the thought of him losing his daughter back then. 

Professor Petrovich knows what it's like to lose someone important in life. In exchange for the girl's life, the life of the person most important to him had to be traded as well. His hatred for the girl did grow, but what can he do when he too loved her just as he would have had loved his own daughter.

"You do realize she'll sooner or later look for me, if she does, I'll tell her everything." Professor Petrovich declared determinedly.

But that very determination was shaken when he saw the man's expression drastically change from one of depression and sorrow to that of a mad, murderous demon. 

"You can kill me if you want, but remember... I'm the only one who can help you lock your daughter's memory. You can ask any other doctor's help but you know what they'll say. If I die, the only one who can help you is the old man. Seeking his help just means delivering your daughter in her bridal gown to his doorstep.

"If she finds you, but if you dare approach her..." Lord Knightley declared as he stood up from his seat and went back to his desk to finish his work for he has nothing further to say to the man. 

Professor Petrovich understand well what the man meant. He got up and took the box with him. He then stood in front of the man's desk and placed the box. "It's best you hand it to her since you won't allow me to see her." 

Lord Knightley took the box and did not say anything back. He opened it again and glanced for a moment at Professor Petrovich's back as the man disappears out of his sight. He pulled open the box again and gazed at the beautiful ring inside. A bitter smile formed around his face for he would really love for her daughter to wear such a beautiful ring. What's worse is, the fact that his daughter always told him. 

Elizabeth: "Daddy, whoever puts a ring on my finger and proposes to me. I'll marry them whomever they may be, for it just means they love me for who I am." 

Who would have thought that his daughter's words will become reality. But the question is, will she still be willing to marry the person, now that her heart is beating for someone else.